spermatium

American  

[spur-mey-shee-uhm] / spɜrˈmeɪ ʃi əm /

noun

plural

spermatia

1. Botany. the nonmotile male gamete of a red alga.

2. Mycology. a minute, colorless cell, of certain fungi and lichens, believed to be a male reproductive body, developed within spermogonia.

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spermatium British  

/ spɜːˈmeɪtɪəm /

noun

1. a nonmotile male reproductive cell in red algae and some fungi

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spermatium Scientific  

/ spər-mā′shē-əm /

plural

spermatia

1. A nonmotile cell in red algae and certain ascomycete fungi that functions as a male gamete.

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Etymology

Origin of spermatium

1855–60; < New Latin < Greek spermátion, equivalent to spermat- (stem of spérma ) sperm ¹ + -ion -ium

Example Sentences

If a spermatium lands on this filament, it will fertilize the structure, which will go on to produce a chamber packed with long, skinny two-celled spores.

From Scientific American